


A Letter from Varric

by raven4138



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Hawke (Dragon Age) is Dead, Other, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - Here Lies the Abyss, dialogue in inquisition makes me sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:13:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27392512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raven4138/pseuds/raven4138
Summary: “About Hawke…”“Don’t, Seeker. Just… don’t.”“But, what about Anders? Does he…”“He knows. I sent a letter. Leave it be.”
Relationships: Anders/Female Hawke, Anders/Hawke (Dragon Age)
Kudos: 11





	A Letter from Varric

**Author's Note:**

> Cassandra and Varric had some dialogue that made me think about how Anders would react to hearing Hawke is now dead. And it made me sad.

_“About Hawke…”  
“Don’t, Seeker. Just… don’t.”  
“But, what about Anders? Does he…”  
“He knows. I sent a letter. Leave it be.”_

Bethany sighs as she braces herself to knock on Anders’ door. It has been one week since she received the letter from Varric. She took the week to mourn alone. She would not let in Aveline, who received her own letter, when she came to check on her. She was completely distraught and no one needed to see that. She was strong and tough. Of course she was. She was a Warden. But being alone allowed her to feel what she needed to without being seen. Varric had sent her Anders’ letter as well. He was “just being cautious of Blondie’s… condition.” Varric thought it was best if Anders was with someone else when he heard the news. Varric was probably right. 

Aveline had taken both of them to a secluded part of Eastern Ferelden when the Wardens started falling to Corypheus. Fighting him with Hawke before allowed Bethany to see that the direction they were heading was dangerous. It allowed her, and a few other Warden friends, to run before things got worse. Bethany knocked on Anders’ door. 

“Oh, hello Bethany. Is there something wrong? I haven’t seen you around much. Are you alright?” Anders asked as he opened the door.

She swallowed and looked away from him. She couldn’t bear to look him in the eyes when she told him. This was already painful enough. 

“Bethany?” Anders repeated. “What’s wrong?” 

She took a shaky breath before she said anything. “Varric sent a letter.” 

Anders looked at her confused. 

“What do you mean? Did he only send one to you? What happened?” 

Bethany stepped inside Anders’ room pushing him aside. She shoved the letter in his hand before turning around to sit at the table in the corner of the room. Anders turned it over in his hand a few times, inspecting the House Tethras seal. 

“Bethany I-”

“Anders please. Just read it. I can’t… I’m sorry.” She still couldn’t look at him.

Anders walked over to sit on his bed before breaking the seal. He took the letter out and began to read. 

_Anders,  
I don’t really know how to start this letter. I guess I should apologize for giving yours to Bethany first. I trust you, and I trust you're under control but what I am about to tell you might… cause some problems. Anders… It’s about Hawke. She’s dead. I don’t have any flowery words or long winded descriptions to help soften the blow. This is it. Our worst fear has come to life. I’m sorry.  
We were in the Fade. The actual Fade, our physical bodies were actually there, not some dream. I wish it was. We were stuck in some sort of nightmare demons section of the Fade that had sealed the memories of the Inquisitor. I think. Honestly, I don’t know much about what was actually happening. I do know that Hawke sacrificed herself to save us. She fought off the Nightmare alone, while Inquisitor Lavellan and Stroud escaped. The Inquisitor exiled the Wardens from Orlais and honestly, I think it’s the best decision she’s made so far. If it weren’t for them…  
No. Sorry I won’t subject this to you right now. You don’t deserve it. I’m so sorry Anders. I was really rooting for you after everything that happened. I’ll write again soon. You and Bethany, please take care of each other.  
-Varric_

Tears started running down Anders' face almost as soon as he started the letter. Hawke was gone. She was dead. Killed by some fucking thing that Corypheus allied himself with to… what? Become a God? His Hawke, his love, was dead because of some delusional Magister who just refused to stay dead?

“Anders. Anders you have to calm down.” Bethany stood from her seat. Anders slid to the floor as he clutched his ears and began to scream. He could feel Justice surge through him, trying to take control. He was consumed with a need to take Vengeance for Hawke. She did not deserve this. She was the last person in the world who should have sacrificed herself. Why couldn’t they just have left her alone? After everything they had been through together. After everything _he_ had put her through. She had been through enough the last several years. 

Bethany ran to his side and took him by the shoulders, now crying herself. “Anders, please. Stay with me. You’re the only family I have left. You have to stay here.” 

“Why did she have to die? What did they do to her? Corypheus will pay for what he has done to her! I will rip apart the Fade to find what did this!” 

“Anders you can’t help her if you do that. You have to hold it together for Hawke. You have to help her by being here. Protecting yourself and helping me. The mages still need your help. She wouldn’t want this. Anders you have to fight this, please.” Bethany kept going, trying anything to keep Anders anchored to her. She couldn’t let Justice take control. Not now. 

It took a while, but eventually Anders was able to regain control of himself. They sat there, holding one another unable to control their tears. Sobs wracked Anders' body as he knelt there. Bethany kept her arms wrapped around him as she cried alongside him. They sat there for a long time before Bethany sat up, wiped the tears away from her face and said, “Come on. Let’s go see what booze Aveline has stored in the kitchen.”


End file.
